Rajasthani Ghevar With Rabdi

I have read about Ghevar in some blogs and Tarla Dalal's book. But as far as I know we need a mould to prepare ghevar. It is a famous Rajasthani sweet which can be bought in all sweet shops. There are so many varieties of ghevar such as plain, mava, paneer or malai ghevar. They are usually huge in size ranging from 8"-10" in diameter and is sweetened with sugar syrup. For this month's South Vs North Challenge, Manjula of Desi Fiesta, of the North Indian team challenged the South Indian team to make mini ghevar along with rabdi. This challenge is the brain child of Divya of You Too Can Cook. To know more about the group check the announcement page of Divya. This is the first time I am taking part in this challenge. When I saw the post of Manjula's I decided to make it at once.

To assemble the main dish we need to prepare three different components. At the start of the day, I started with rabdi. I used only milk as I didn't have condensed milk in my pantry. It took nearly 2 hours to get the rabdi consistency. Then I prepared the syrup and at last I made the ghevar. Finally I assembled the dish at 12 noon. My daughter couldn't keep away from rabdi. I had to protect it from her. Then when I made ghevar, she was so much interested in its crispy texture and was eating all the broken pieces. Then when I finally finished with the snaps, she just polished off the plate. My daughter loved it and I was so happy to dish out a dish she loved. Thank you Manjula for the wonderful recipe. I enjoyed preparing it.

Rabdi

Ingredients:
Milk-1 1/2 litre / 6 1/2 cups
Sugar-1/4 cup (I made it less sweet because the final assembling also includes sugar syrup)
Cardamom Powder-a pinch
Saffron Strands-a few
Sliced Pistachios-2-3 tbs

Procedure:
1. Heat milk along with cardamom powder and saffron in a heavy bottomed pan. Do not heat it in a non stick pan. It starts sticking at the bottom. Use a heavy bottomed pan or a pressure cooker.
2. Keep on stirring in between until it reduces to nearly 1 1/2 cups.
3. Add sugar. As the texture is not smooth, use a hand mixer to get a smooth rabdi.
4. After adding sugar stir it continuous until the rabdi reaches a thick sauce like consistency.
5. Add the pistas and remove from flame.
6. Allow it to cool.

The reduced milk has a grainy texture.

Make it smooth using a hand mixer.

Add pistas and keep it aside to cool.

Ghevar

To make ghevar at home, we don't need a mould. But we need a cylinderical pan to fry it. I used a small sauce pan for it. If the diameter is larger you get a larger ghevar. Fill half the pan with oil/ ghee. The oil should be hot when pouring the batter. If not you will not get the lacy pattern on the ghevar. You will end up with a soggy vada. For my pan two ladles of the batter were enough. When the sizzling reduces you can reduce flame and cook ghevar until it reaches golden brown. After removing the ghevar, bring flame to high and make sure that the oil is hot before pouring the batter. When you pour batter, the oil sizzles a lot. If the temperature is not correct you will not get the sizzling. The temperature plays an important role in getting the perfect, crispy and lacy ghevar.

Ingredients:
Flour-1 cup
Water-2 1/2 cups
Cardamom powder-a pinch
Saffron- a few strands
Ghee-4 tsp
Oil/ Ghee- to deep fry

Procedure:
1. In a bowl, add flour, cardamom powder and ghee.
2. Mix it until the flour resembles bread crumbs.
3. Add the water and saffron and mix it with a whisk to get a smooth runny batter.
4. Heat oil in a sauce pan. When you add a drop of the batter, it should not sink to the bottom. The oil should sizzle furiously.
5. Take a ladle full of the batter, stretch your hand to the top and slowly allow a stream to fall into the oil.
6. When the sizzling is too much, stop pouring the batter until it subsides.
7. Keep on pouring the batter into the centre.
8. Do not handle the ghevar until the sizzling stops. It will be very soft and may break.
9. When the sizzling is reduced reduce flame to low and cook until golden.
10. Remove from oil and place it on a slanted plate. By this way the extra oil will be collected at the lower end of the plate.
11. Finish off the remaining batter. I got 6 ghevars with a cup of flour.
12. You can store it in air tight jar for upto 15 days.

Mix flour, ghee, cardamom powder.

Mix until it resembles bread crumbs.

Add water and saffron and make a thin batter.

Heat oil and pour the batter in a thin stream from the top.

The batter may stick to the sides.

With a slotted spoon remove the batter from the sides. It falls into the ghevar it self.

Once golden remove the ghevar from oil.

Place it on a slanted plate.

Finish with the remaining batter.

Sugar Syrup

The Sugar syrup is cooked to one string consistency. Usually ghevar is dipped in hot syrup and served. But I made the syrup ahead. While serving I just drizzled the syrup on top of ghevar.

Ingredients:

Sugar-1 cup

Water-1 cup

Saffron- a few strands

Procedure:

1. In a pan, add sugar, water and saffron.

2. Heat it. Keep on stirring until the sugar melts.

3. Let it boil until the syrup comes to one string consistency. Take the syrup between the thumb and for finger, press together and pull it apart. If a string is formed unbroken between the fingers, the consistency is reached.

4. Remove from stove.

Assembling